Students Making a Difference: Fighting Hunger

LA CROSSE, Wis. -- We're starting a new segment on News 8 at Six called "Students Making a Difference." The last Monday of every month, we'll spotlight an area student or students who go above and beyond outside of the classroom by volunteering.

Our first "students making a difference" are Matthew Erickson and Grant Simmons.

The La Crosse Logan Middle School students are concerned about hunger not only right here in our community, but around the world. The two are part of the Global Village Program at Logan. They help plant and harvest vegetables every Spring and Fall at the Kane Street Community Garden.

The boys also made a video on hunger to show how important it is for everyone to do their part to eliminate hunger in their own communities.

Matthew says the experience has taught him something in turn. "How lucky I am to have food, shelter and a loving family. Like I saw some of the pictures in Africa, just looked like a skeleton and they were just sort of left alone."

Matthew says it great to be honored with the "Students Making a Difference" program. "It feels nice you know, it's a cool thing to have your skills actually be recognized by the community." We should mention, Grant was on vacation when we taped this story and that's why you don't hear from him, but we still wanted to recognize him.

Along with the recognition, the students also get a certificate, a $100 donation to their group or charity, a t-shirt and a DVD copy of their story.